Good news on not needing a replacement right away.! Sounds to me Don like you having a well functioning knee is part of His Plan.

Ditto on the not skimping on proper PT. I had a "bucket handle" tear in my right meniscus back in '96. Dr. Martini removed the center, said I "had plenty of good rim left and should be able to go a long time without trouble". I walked out (well, on crutches) did my PT duty for several months and today I'd have a hard time telling which knee it was. I will say the PT got much harder after the original sweet young Miss therapist went back to school and was replaced by a yankee, haha. Martini has since done my XYL's knee and shoulder. I kept the pressure on her through her PT regimens and she had great outcomes as well.

That 300 looks like it fits the younger Pre-Ranger quite well. Both of them actually. You might have to see if you can negotiate a volume purchase of more parts...

I got the call today my Junior Ranger made the first cut for a High School scholarship at Fork Union Military Academy. Be careful what you say to your children, when he was in grade school and would get out of alignment I'd tell him "If you don't get straight I'm going to send you off to Military School". So he googles it up and finds one he likes and applies. If you have time if you'd say a little prayer for him I'd appreciate it. I know it would mean something coming from this group of strong men.

And also today I got the call I made it through the latest round of layoffs, so guess I'll have to keep workin'

The debate in the U.S. over gun safety and gun rights is as complex as it is divisive. As a former army officer, a father and business leader, I?ve heard the arguments from all sides. And, as CEO of a 163-year-old company whose products and presence rest at the intersection of culture and community in more than 110 countries around the world, I feel a tremendous responsibility to share our position on the issue, now, at a time when clarity is paramount.

Providing a safe environment to work and shop is a top priority for us at Levi Strauss & Co. That imperative is quickly challenged, however, when a weapon is carried into one of our stores. Recently, we had an incident in one of our stores where a gun inadvertently went off, injuring the customer who was carrying it.

So, while we understand the heartfelt and strongly-held opinions on both sides of the gun debate, it is with the safety and security of our employees and customers in mind that we respectfully ask people not to bring firearms into our stores, offices or facilities, even in states where it?s permitted by law. Of course, authorized members of law enforcement are an exception.

It's a shame our tax dollars don't go more towards allowing our law enforcement agencies to hire professionals - which this officer clearly was not. New Dem governor here in my State would rather spend on taking down statues and sending "committees" to other "more progressive" States to study how best to renovate our perfectly fine downtown parks.

I don't know... I think it's worth well over the 8500 bid, but he needs it gone so it's no reserve. Wish I had room for it but better half says no more vehicles until I get rid of one - although I do have permission to buy a new mower. That's where my buddy & I were going in the diesel Burb, to look at a Cat Powered Bad Boy :)

Duke University scrapped plans on Thursday (January 16) to allow the Muslim call to prayer to emanate from its chapel bell tower, university officials said, amid fierce criticism from conservative Christians and anger from alumni.

Earlier in the week, university officials said the weekly chant by Muslim students, known as the adhan, would be amplified from Duke Chapel beginning on Friday.

"They apparently bent to pressure," said Khalilah Sabra, executive director of the Muslim American Society.

A Muslim call to prayer was held at the university on Friday, but it did not come from the bell tower.

"We were presented with some significant and credible concerns about safety and security," explained university spokesman Michael Schoenfeld of the decision.

In addition, the school received negative feedback from the university community, including alumni, he said.

Evangelist Franklin Graham was among those who protested the broadcasting of the Muslim call to prayer.

"My problem is using the chapel that was built to be a house of worship that worshiped Jesus Christ as the Son of God," he said, after urging donors and alumni to boycott the university in a Facebook post.

Duke University has Methodist roots but is non-sectarian.

The Gothic-style Duke Chapel, one of the school's best-known landmarks, is an interfaith locale where Hindu students, as well as groups from various Christian denominations, hold services.

Muslim students have held Friday services in the building's basement for several years.

Heard on the news here today Duke University is continuing to ignore the protests of local Christian groups and sponsoring the broadcasting of the muslim howling every Friday from Duke "Chapel". Sickening. I spend a good bit of time on college campuses around these parts and observe very few WASPs in the enrollment, don't be fooled by who you see in the crowds at basketball games, our country is undergoing a invasion.

Rev. Franklin Graham: ?I call on the donors and alumni to withhold their support from Duke until this policy is reversed?.

We found out this past Thursday my mother-in-law has cancer. Not sure yet but it seems to have started in her lymphatic system and has already spread to several other organs so the outlook is not good. Managed to get my wife (who is still recovering from a recent knee surgery) to see her this weekend before they start her on the heavy pain meds. She is 87 and has suffered with short term memory loss for several years.

Prayers for healing for her and strength for my family would be greatly appreciated.

Congratulations - That's awesome! "CWC" rolls off the tongue, I like it. Kind of like my old Novice call KC4EZE, but man that one was rough on CW.I'd get them to fix your name... Wonder if you can just do that yourself online on the ULS?

Oh yeah, I've thought about that exploding PVC... Thought about wrapping it in fiberglass and slapping some resin on it but I wonder if that would melt the PVC? I'm trying to scrounge a small METAL tank for the pressure vessel, my dump valve is thick aluminum so that would only leave the barrel & connector as PVC...

Thanks for the info, I may have to try a tree topper here. That McNichols has all kinds of good stuff, and there's one not too far from me here, thanks for the tip.I'm collecting parts to build a pneumatic tennis ball antenna line launcher so I can get the rest of the lines up for a 40m Delta loop. I got one line up using a slingshot but it took way too many shots to place it over the limb I wanted. I got the hard to find 2.5" I.D. PVC pipe for the barrel and a quick-dump valve, can get the rest from Home Depot, just hard to find the time.

TRN, how did you attach the mast to the pine tree? How long & what kind of material is the mast? Is the antenna above the top of the tree? I've never been to Houston and I know everything is bigger in Texas but I didn't think trees got that tall in your neck of the woods? My fathers side of the family is from Shiner / Yoakum / Victoria / San Antonio - it's been way too long since I've been to visit, trees must have grown some in 10 years.

Good point about the gap around an ammo can lid... that's why I wrapped my radio in several layers of foil. And good point on using an earth ground.

Also got me thinking about what I'd do if I had a spare ham radio & ancillary equipment to store until needed. Hmmm, how big would it need to be, at least galvanized trash can size for sure. But on the earth grounding if you welded a can shut you'd need to at least spray the weld with some cold galvanize to keep it from rusting in the place I have available for storage.

So what would be the idea faraday storage locker? I can't think of anything without a rubber gasket that would be hermitically sealed unless you welded it shut. So some sort of metal box inside a Pelican case for moisture protection with a copper or stainless bolt run through for grounding...???

Roger on the starting out on VHF/UHF. I don't do too much mobile HF, I've got an IC-706MIIG I throw under the seat when we go on vacations. I have Hamsticks for 20, 15, 12, & 10 and a mount that goes in the hitch receiver. That 706 is a great radio IMO and I hope it lasts forever. I'm not too impressed with the new ICOM HF mobile, can't think of the model but the one with the touch screen. The shape of that control head just looks to me like it would be hard to mount in a vehicle. I do plan to go full on redneck and get a Tarheel for the Duramax soon. My concern is whether the 706 is too old to go to the trouble of permanently mounting. My luck here lately would have it die shortly after the last bolt was tightened. So I'd be interested in any opinions on a replacement. Just about got the wife and boy talked into doing a ham radio vacation on a mountain top or island next spring so I need get on the ball.

I don't know all the details but I'm told there are a bunch of batteries in those humps you see on the top and an electric motor for flat ground travel in the city. They make a low whine and no smoke unless they're pulling a grade. To be honest I'm usually too busy looking at the coeds to pay the buses much attention :D

When we cleared the ground to build the first cell site there back around 1989 the huggers put up a big banner on our fence: "Centel Cellular: Stinking Tree Killers"

Speaking of encryption, it makes me feel really old to see some of the early '80's equipment I used to service on ebay for pennies on our tax dollars. The same hardware the Full Bird Colonel kept the manuals for in his safe. Made me turn my back when he dialed the combo, sign a hand receipt, and everything.

I'm willing to bet that club meets somewhere tasty for Saturday morning breakfast. Go meet 'em for breakfast. No excuses! Get on the radio. If that club doesn't eat breakfast at least once a month it's not a LEGITIMATE HAM RADIO CLUB, look elsewhere. www.arrl.org, click on clubs, put in your zip code.Seriously, it's better to go to a breakfast (or whatever meal they get together for) than to start out going to an official club meeting which can sometimes be a stuffy affair what with all that going over the budget, and electing officers, & other business'y details... and I for one am much friendlier on a full stomach :)

Starting equipment: I'd suggest if you are in a reasonably populated area starting out with a china cheapo handheld which can be had for well under a hundred new on ebay. search on "dual band ham radios". That will get you listening in on the local folks (you'll hear where breakfast is going to be) Don't mash that talk button until you have a license which is real easy to get these days. Twenty multiple choice questions copied verbatim from a published pool of questions and answers. Heck even my wife has hers, now there's a challenge for ya ;) Ebay: careful on the used stuff, it can easily go for more than new, ebay fever I guess... or those massive fees ebay charges nowadays... www.eham.net & www.qrz.com have classified sections where prices are usually more reasonable then ebay. www.eham.net has a pretty good equipment reviews section. That local club swapmeet is a good bet for used HF gear.

Wow RMTW&S looks like it's off to a great start, Congratulations Don! I get the feeling a great deal of good works are going to be done here!

I'm Joe from North Carolina, here from the DF, long time reader of the builds, CIEMRs, and other inspirational chronicles.Christian, husband, father, son.RF Engineer for the phone company by trade.Interests: Family, building stuff, radio, shooting, fishing, baseball, and big diesel trucks of course.